27, Feb 2019

$2.6 billion was pledged in humanitarian aid in Yemen at a special one-day summit, with more than half coming from countries that are fighting in the war or selling arms to those who are fighting, the Guardian reported. The main pledges were $500 million each from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, £200 million from the United Kingdom, and nearly $21 million from the United States. The US said it had supplied $721 million since October 2017. Saudi Arabia and the UAE each gave $250 million in November last year. The two countries are both embroiled in the war, backed largely by arms from the US and UK, the Guardian said, noting that the “paradox that the wealthy combatants in the civil war are also the largest suppliers of humanitarian aid has been a feature of one of the most brutal and unforgiving of wars.” Five aid organisations – Care International, the International Rescue Committee, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, and Save the Children – emphasised this in a joint statement, saying: “We desperately need commitments from some of the very same countries present today to allow unconditional access for humanitarian assistance and commercial imports to all parts of the country. We want to hear world leaders promise to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, and to hold to account those who disregard international law. The countries selling arms to warring parties in Yemen need to stop these deals with immediate effect and put in place strong monitoring and accountability mechanisms, so that devastating weapons will no longer kill and injure civilians in Yemen. Arms must stop flowing into Yemen and political negotiations need to be supported by all involved in this conflict.”